Tilling Soil
by Aviantei
Summary: There are some things that just need a little cultivation, like plants, or relationships. And then there are the things that require full-out persistence and the highest possible maintenance. Like plants. And relationships. This...somehow ended up being the latter. In which a human falls for Amaimon, the Earth King is bored, and Mephisto's daughter has to pick up the pieces.
1. Chapter One

**Tilling Soil**

By: Aviantei

Chapter One

* * *

It was the first lunch break after summer vacation at True Cross Academy, and the courtyard was filled with students trying to pretend that in less than an hour they would have to go back to their classrooms. There were groups eating lunch, taking naps under trees, a game of Frisbee in action, and even the one student here and there scribbling away at their summer homework that has becoming closer to being overdue by the minute. The heat seemed to bother no one, a reminder of whatever adventures they had gone on while free from school.

Fukui Ayane, free of all other worries, was sitting in the shade of a tree to eat her lunch. Unlike other kids who took the opportunity of living on their own away from their parents to eat whatever they wanted, Ayane's own lunch seemed relatively healthy, at least in comparison to her friends' own food choices.

"So, how was everyone's summer?" Michiko asked, getting the customary question out of the way. She then giggled alongside Yori, whereas Ryouichi just seemed uncomfortable. Ayane only opened up her bottle of water and took a drink as a response. "Okay, fine, I'll start! So the first guy I dated was this total hottie but when he—"

"No one wants to hear about your many failed relationships, Michiko-chan," Ayane said, cutting off the rambling before it could even begin. The rest of the group sighed in relief, and Michiko pouted. Ayane took a drink from her water bottle then smirked. "Now, if you actually stuck with a guy longer than a few days, _that's_ impressive. I think we'd all be interested in hearing a tale about how you resisted the urge to dump the guy for so long."

Michiko paused, needing to count up the days that had transpired over the summer. "Okay, so I didn't date any guy longer than three days," she said, confirming everyone's suspicions. She held up a finger dramatically, sending her dark brown hair flying over her shoulders. "But! That just means none of them were right for me! It's perfectly acceptable! There's no reason to treat me like a criminal for such a thing, Aya-chan!"

Ayane only raised an eyebrow. Such outbursts were normal. "Only three days huh?"

"Yes, and if you would just let me—"

"No way, three days is boring. It's the same story every damn time, and I'm not a fan of repeats. Right, Yori-chan?"

Yori jumped a bit, gave an apologetic look towards Michiko, then nodded. Michiko gave a feigned look of being appalled, but smiled reassuringly a moment later. "Sorry, Michiko-san, but it's true…" Yori said.

"See?" Ayane said, taking another bite out of her lunch. Her next words were muffled by the food that was still in her mouth. "No one wants to hear it, so keep your exploits to yourself." Not even giving Michiko time to retort, Ayane continued, "So what did you get up to Yori-chan?"

"Nothing too exciting, but I did get someone to agree to do the illustrations for my novel for me," Yori said, slightly blushing. Ayane smiled and nodded. Yori was trying to break out as a light novelist, but wanted control over the character designs that would go with it. Since she couldn't draw herself, she had been searching for an artist online to collaborate with.

Ryouichi lit up instantly at this fact, staring down Yori was bright eyes. "That's awesome!" he exclaimed. "Who is it? How are they willing to work with you? When do you think they'll have the concept sketches finished? I can't wait to see them!"

Yori blushed slightly, not used to being the center of attention. She had improved over the past few years at least. When Ayane met her in their second year of middle school she would cry while giving her class introduction just because everyone was watching her. Class presentations were a nightmare.

"Um, I'm sorry, Shirou-kun, I can't remember their username right now," Yori said. "But they do professional commissions and their art is really popular. They said they were really busy lately, but if I was willing to wait for them to read over my drafts they'd be willing to do the designs and insert pages for free. I tried to negotiate price but they insisted so I had to say yes…"

"That just means they really like your work!" Ryouichi was positively beaming at the idea. "If they're a popular artist that just means that they can promote you and help attract readers. You're really lucky that they chose you. It's a great opportunity! Can you send me the link to their work sometime?"

Yori nodded, clutching her melon bread in her hands. "Sure thing." She looked at the rest of the group, trying to think of something to say. "Um, I didn't really do much else over the summer other than write. What about you, Shirou-kun?"

"Same old, same old," the boy drawled. He leaned back, propping himself up on his hands. "I watched and read all the series I was behind on and went and checked out the start of the summer anime season. I went to Comiket, too, which was really exciting this year. I got to talk to a lot of my favorite artists there." Ryouichi grinned. "So what about you, Ayane?"

With everyone's eyes on her again, Ayane sighed. "I practiced for the tennis team and rested up on the days in between," she said. "The coach is brutal, since he says summer is the best time for as to get as much training in as possible. Once we got started I was hardly able to move on my days off." Ryouichi grimaced at the idea, and Ayane laughed. "I have to admit, it works, though. I built up a lot more muscle thanks to it."

Michiko rolled her eyes. "Yes, and I'm sure you needed it," she said, sarcasm rolling into her voice. The girl twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "It's not as if you're the star of the team anyway and won the nationals last year. Couldn't you at least have taken one of those days off and spent it with me? I had some good double dates set up, and it's not like I can take Yori-chan on those with me. No offense, dear."

Yori's face was dyed a bright red as she shook her head back and forth. "None taken," she muttered. "I'm not interested in those sorts of things anyway."

Ayane scoffed. "Like Yori-chan should even get close to the type of guys you like," she commented, earning herself a glare from Michiko. "Besides, I'm done with being your experimental test dummy to help you get through your dates faster by deciding which guy you like or not. It's disgusting watching you make bedroom guys at two guys at the same table, especially when one of them is supposed to be my 'date'." She accentuated the end of the sentence with air quotes, and Ryouichi snickered.

"It's _efficient_," Michiko stressed. She folded her arms across her chest and pouted. "Besides, I do genuinely try to find guys you'd be interested in. Just because you're a busy athlete doesn't mean you can't find love. Why just the other day I found the cutest—you know what, _here_." Michiko dug into her phone and started to try and find a picture.

"Not interested," Ayane deadpanned, intentionally looking the other direction. Michiko seemed appalled.

"Don't say that before you even _see_ him." She proceeded to try and show an image on her screen to Ayane, who closed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "Heavens, darling, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't even think about boys. Come on, just _look_—"

"Maybe Ayane-san already has someone she likes," Yori suggested. Michiko's jaw dropped, and Ryouichi looked as if he was in a contest to see whose eyebrows could retreat farthest into their hairline. Ayane's eyes snapped open in an instant.

Once she had recovered from the initial shock, Michiko seemed ecstatic. "Oh, darling, I should have known!" she exclaimed. You would have thought she had just been proposed to, she was so excited. "This is explains _everything_! So, who is he? Are you dating? When did you meet? Did he confess or you? What—?"

"There isn't anyone," Ayane said, trying to scoot out of Michiko's arm reach. Persistently, Michiko followed. Despite her denial, Ayane's face was slowly turning a bright red. Michiko grinned, somehow turning out like a predator. "Come on, don't look at me like that!"

Ryouichi frowned, looking disappointed. "How come you didn't tell me about this?" he asked, sounding hurt. "I thought we were best friends. Aren't we supposed to tell each other everything, even the embarrassing stuff? Hell, I even told you about my last crushes and exactly how I was rejected. It's not fair."

"I—"

"Fukui Ayane, I swear to whatever holy deity takes influence in these situations that if you do not tell me about this boy that I will personally spread the rumor about your crush throughout the school. No one will ever let you down for it until you say who it is, either," Michiko threatened. She paused for a moment, almost looking thoughtful. "Although if it's a girl, I guess that would make a lot of sense. In which case I support you, but I still want to know every last detail."

"It's not a girl!" Ayane shouted, turning several heads in their direction. She was fortunately too flustered to even notice this fact. Yori held a hand up to her mouth but didn't say anything.

Ryouichi snickered. "Michiko-san, Ayane doesn't swing that way," he commented. If anything, Yori blushed more than Ayane, staring down at the empty bento in her lap. "Though I must commend you on the strategy that would make her admit there's even someone in the first place." He looked at Ayane and grinned. "Come on, tell."

Michiko leaned in on one side, and Ryouichi covered the other. Even Yori looked up at her with expectant eyes, peaking up from her lunchbox. Feeling cornered, Ayane heaved a disgusted sigh. "Fine, I'll talk," she grumbled. "But only if you let me finish before you start babbling nonsense, alright?"

Ryouichi called out an excited "Yes!" and shared a high five with Michiko. The two then looked at Ayane with perfect poker faces and nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Ayane was almost certain that she saw Yori scoot a bit closer to the awkward huddle that was happening.

"Let's get this straight, no one's confessed to anyone, okay?" she said. Michiko looked a bit disappointed. Ayane ignored it. "Basically, before summer break I ended up practicing later than usual. When I was heading back to the dorm there was this punk-looking kid with the headmaster. It looked like he was being shown around the school, so I thought he might be a new student…" Ugh, it was embarrassing to even think about, let alone admit out loud.

"Maybe he's going to transfer in soon," Yori suggested. "It would be rather pointless to transfer in at the end of the semester, don't you think?"

Apparently, Michiko didn't think this was a suitable option. "Oh, it's so tragic!" she exclaimed, pretending to swoon. Or maybe it was serious, one could never be sure. "A love destroyed before it could even begin! Ayane-chan, I'm so sorry that I made you bring up something so terrible; you must be heartbroken!"

Ayane didn't feel like justifying that with a response, so she responded to Yori instead. "Yeah, that's what I thought, but I haven't seen him at all," she said. "Anyone like that would stick out so I thought that it would be easy…"

"Then maybe he's a middle school student and intends to attend here next year?" Yori tried. "Although I don't know how many people would be important enough to be shown around by the Headmaster for something like that… Although in that case he probably has special circumstances…" She frowned, fidgeting with her chopsticks. Ayane remembered that saying that much was probably a big hurtle for her and let it go, sighing as she leaned back.

Michiko gasped. "Oh, an age gap, how scandalous!" she shouted. "Although two years really isn't that bad, but it will make graduating so much more painful!" She fell backward onto the grass, her skirt almost riding up. "Although, I must say, Ayane-chan, I never thought you would be the type to go fall in love at first sight. Oh, it's just perfect! I'm so jealous!"

"It's not like it's love, I just thought he was cute and looked interesting to talk to…" Ayane muttered. For some reason her cheeks still felt warm. "If he's not going to school here, there's no point. And it's not like I can ask the headmaster about some random kid, either… It's better if I just give up, to be honest."

"Some punk kid, huh?" Ryouichi commented, smirking. "Not what I thought you'd go for in the end, but I guess I can see it. Way to go and defy stereotypes, Miss Sports Star, you've done well."

"Oh shut it!"

Ryouichi laughed. Ayane crossed her arms and turned away, not caring if she was pouting. "Oh, come on, I was just teasing. Besides, even if you can't talk to the headmaster, it's not like you can't talk to his daughter and see if she knows anything."

"The headmaster's… daughter?" Yori asked, tilting her head. The other girls seemed to share her confusion, all eyes locking onto the only male in the group. "I didn't know that the headmaster was married to anyone…"

Ryouichi shrugged. "I don't know all the details, but I do know her at least. Margeret Faust-san, she sits next to me in class. She's really smart so she just ends up drawing in her notes all the time. We've talked about art and stuff before. It seems like she has a good relationship with her father, so you could probably ask and see if you could find out anything about this mystery boy of yours."

"You seem to know an awful lot about her for only having talked a few times," Michiko commented. She smirked, the same light of excitement floating in her eyes as when she had cornered Ayane. "Don't tell me that someone's got a crush, Ryou-kun~. Two of my friends falling in love at once! Oh, this is perfect!"

"Ugh, you little liar!" Ayane exclaimed, crushing her now empty bottle of water. She turned on Ryouichi, who winced. "What was all that bullshit about 'I've told you about all the girls I've had crushes on'? You guilt-tripping little weasel!"

"Come on, Ayane, I was getting to it," Ryouichi tried. He put his hands together in prayer in front of his chest. "You can't blame me, you've been busy with tennis practice and—"

"I don't wanna hear it!"

Yori coughed, the small sound enough to get everyone's attention. "If you actually want to talk to her, you should do it soon, Fukui-san," she said. She pointed to the clock tower visible over the other buildings. "There's not much time left in our lunch break and I know you have practice tonight. Isn't it better to do this sooner than later?"

Ayane frowned, dropping her arms to her side. While she had been seconds away from throttling Ryouichi, she supposed that it would have to wait. She glared at her best friend, swearing that she would get revenge on him later.

"Take me to her."

* * *

When Ayane was dragged halfway across the courtyard and pointed into the direction of a trio of students not unlike her friends, she wondered just what Ryouichi was thinking. She was just about to ask which of the two girls Margeret was—since neither of them looked like how Ayane had imagined—when Ryouichi spoke up.

"That's her," he whispered, even though they were a suitable distance away. None of the group had even looked up, too involved in their own conversation to even notice the pair that was watching them. Ryouichi must have been really nervous to be so secretive. "Margeret-san's the one with the blue hair."

"Ah," Ayane said in a one syllable response. Looking closer, she realized that the one she had thought was the male in the group was actually a girl. It was a pain, but it was possible to see her curves under the male uniform if you were looking for them. Leave it to Ryouichi to fall for someone like that.

"If you want I can introduce you to her." Ryouichi's cheeks were dusted a light pink. "I'm sure that if you say you know me she'll open right up. Though it might be a little awkward if you just open up the conversation by trying to get school information out of her…"

Ayane waved Ryouichi off, not concerned in the slightest. "Nah, I got this," she said. Ryouichi seemed to deflate at bit, but she didn't have time to worry about that sort of stuff. If time was of the essence, so be it. "I'll meet up with you after practice, okay?"

"Alright…" Ryouichi said. He cast a look over his shoulder in Margeret's direction before heading back to where they had left Michiko and Yori. The poor girl was probably being assaulted by stories of Michiko's dating adventures and needed to be saved. "See you later, Ayane."

"Later, Ryou."

Ayane stared down her target, preparing herself. Even if it was for an embarrassing reason, there was no reason to be intimidated by the prospect of talking to a group of underclassmen. Ayane took a deep breath and took a step forward before she could turn back. "Excuse me," she called, "could I speak to Faust-san for a moment?"

The two other girls looked to Margeret, confused looks on their faces. The girl in question smiled and stood up, dusting grass off her uniform. "Sure, why not," she said, acting way too natural for Ayane's tastes. It was almost unnerving. "I suppose I could spare a little bit of my lunch break to talk to Fukui Ayane-senpai."

"Oh, it's Fukui-senpai!" the girl with brown hair and big tails said, looking excited. "You helped our tennis team win the nationals last year, didn't you? That's really impressive for a first-year member! Since you already know Whiskey, I'll just introduce myself! I'm Haruhana Mocha, and this is Ruma Izona!"

The other girl, Ruma, shook her head. Her orange ponytail swayed with the motion. "How do you even have time to learn about stuff like that?" she muttered. "I'm so busy I can hardly think straight."

"Well, last year we weren't in the Cram School, so it was a lot easier to go to stuff like that, you know? Fukui-senpai is really amazing. I don't know much about tennis, but she really is." Mocha nodded, as it that settled everything. Ruma rolled her eyes.

"What fucking school year were you living?"

"Um, thanks a lot," Ayane said. No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't pull off the 'aloof and super cool athlete' vibe. "Thanks for your support. I hope you'll come see us again this year. But who exactly is Whiskey, cause I don't…."

Margeret coughed. When Ayane looked at her, her face was red. "That would be a stupid nickname I have. Please don't get the wrong idea, Senpai," she said. "But you said you wanted to talk, so let's not waste any more time on unnecessary things." She shot a look at Mocha, who pouted.

"That's right!" Ayane exclaimed, realizing that she had forgotten her goal whenever the others had started talking. "This is really important! Super important!"

"So tell me—"

"No, it has to be in private!"

Margeret shifted, an uncomfortable look on her face. "I'm sorry, Senpai, but I'm sure if it's something unbelievable, there's no one more qualified to help you out with the problem than all three of us. So if you would just—"

"Private!"

Ayane latched a hand onto Margeret's arm. The underclassman looked to her friends for help, but they both only gave her helpless smiles. Ayane smirked as Margeret sighed. "Alright, Senpai, we can talk somewhere else if it's that important," the younger girl said. "Wherever you'd like to go, lead the way."

"Perfect," Ayane said. Not letting go, she proceeded to drag Margeret across the courtyard toward the now empty classrooms.

"Good luck!" Mocha called out to her friend. Ruma's laughter was loud enough to follow them as they walked.

"Alright, Senpai, what can I help you with?" Margeret asked once they finally had arrived at a place that Ayane felt was safe. While asking about a student wasn't really a private matter, the older girl still didn't feel like explaining herself where others could easily hear her. Preparing herself, she took another deep breath.

"I wanted to ask about a new student that will be coming here," Ayane said. Her cheeks were already starting to turn red. _Get it together!_ "Or, at least, I think they'll be coming here. It's just that you're the headmaster's daughter so you might know something about them, or maybe could ask for me?" She looked to her underclassman with pleading eyes.

Margeret raised an eyebrow. "You know I can't tell you much, right? I mean, I do know a lot about transfers and such because Vatti talks to me about this kind of stuff, but it's not like I can tell you their life story. Not only do I not know it, it's kind of against the rules to give out stuff like that."

"I just want his name." Ayane felt her mouth start to go dry at the words. She was too eager, right? She shouldn't be speaking so fast over something like this. "Just his name, Faust-san, if you can give it to me. That's all."

Margeret sighed, furrowing her brow in concentration. In the end, she sighed, her reluctance breaking down. Ayane's heart sped up just at the possibility. "Alright, just tell me what you know about him and I'll see what I can do."

Ayane nodded, pulling the memory back up from a little more than a month ago. It should have been blurry, but she had worked hard to keep his image sharp in her mind. "Okay, so he's a bit shorter than the average guy, all his clothes were mismatched and kind of torn up, he has green hair that sticks up like this—" she used her hands to imitate the tongari shape "—and he was eating some kind of snack." Ayane dropped her arms and shrugged. "I know that doesn't really matter, but still. Is that enough, Faust-san?"

Ayane felt proud of herself for being able to remember so much. On the other hand, Margeret had buried her face in her hands, though Ayane couldn't imagine why. "Senpai," she said, her voice muffled, "why exactly do you know want to know about this person?" She looked up from her hands, green eyes almost desperate.

"Um, well…" Ayane poked her fingers together. There was no stopping the rush of color on her face now. "To be honest, I kind of like him, so I was hoping that I could see him again and get to know him better."

Margeret groaned, her face heading straight back into her hands. She was talking more to herself, but Ayane could still hear her. "You gotta be kidding me…" she muttered. "She wants to meet Uncle Amaimon because she has a _crush on him_?"

Ayane perked up, invading her kohai's one-sided conversation. "Did you say uncle?" she asked. Margeret looked up, embarrassed that she had been overheard. "He looks like he's about our age. Did one of your grandparents remarry or something?"

The younger girl was sent into a flurry of coughs, as if the idea was enough to choke on. When she calmed down, Margeret looked as if she needed to go lie down in the nurse's office. However, since she had finally caught onto a lead, Ayane wasn't about to let her chance slip away.

"Let's just say our family situation is… complicated," Margeret supplied. Ayane bypassed the comment in favor of pressing forward.

"If he's your uncle and he visits your father, that means that you maintain contact with him, right? At least a good enough relationship where you can invite him over without it being too much of a hassle right?" Ayane took a step forward.

Margeret took a step back. "Um, well, you see…"

"In that case you should be able to at least try and get him to meet up with me once. It doesn't even have to be a date. It can be a get-together or something. You have the money for that, Faust-san, so a small party should be nothing."

"No, Senpai, I really can't do that. Uncle lives out of town and was only visiting, so—"

Ayane crossed her arms, unsatisfied with the reasoning. "So then just let me know when he comes back. I'd even bring a housewarming gift. It could look like an accident, I don't care. I really just want to meet him. Is that so hard to ask for?"

Margeret looked like she was about to say several things at once, but she ultimately gave up in favor of letting out a small growl of frustration. Ayane knew she was being unreasonable, but she was stubborn. Being stubborn was what had got her into True Cross Academy, what had made her push forward to win the nationals with the rest of her tennis team. Surely it could be used to meet the guy she was almost certain that she liked.

Once she was done venting her frustrations, Margeret took a deep breath. Her face hardened, and despite being a high school first year, she looked a lot older than that. "I'm sorry, Fukui-senpai, but I really can't introduce you to my uncle," she said. "Even if I did, the situation wouldn't end up the way you're thinking."

Ayane adjusted her stance so that her hands were resting on her hips. "So are you telling me that he's already in a relationship?" she said. If the direct approach wasn't working, she would have to go from a different angle. "You really should have just said that from the start, Faust-san."

Margeret seemed to catch on, providing her own block. "I didn't say it because that's not the case at all."

"Then I see no issue. He's his own person, Faust-san. He should be perfectly capable about the selection of his own romantic interests without your assistance. If you think he's going to reject me, then I'd rather it come from him than you. No matter what you believe he's going to do to me, I can handle myself just fine."

"I'm telling you this because—"

"Do you like someone, Faust-san?" Ayane asked. Margeret visibly blushed at the words, composure lost from a single sentence as her eyes darted to where they could steadfastly observe the tiling on the floor. "I'll take that as a yes. If that's the case, then you can understand how I feel right? I can even find a way to pay you back for helping me since I'll be indebted to you. I may not be perfect but I could even try to help you out with that guy you li—"

Margeret bristled, working herself up into a panic from the looks of it. "No!" she said suddenly, voice shooting up an octave. She covered her mouth with her hands for a moment, moving them away when she was ready to speak. "No, I can't accept that, Senpai, and I can't go through with what you're asking me to do. I'm sorry for being rude but—" the bell rang across the school, signaling the end of lunch period "—I really should be attending class and so should you."

The blue-haired girl strolled out of the classroom, and her upperclassman almost swore she was smirking. Without warning, Ayane connected her foot with the nearby desk. "Dammit!"

She took a deep breath, calming herself. All she needed to do was be stubborn and push forward with everything she had. Any opponent would wear down after time, even if they had the patience of a saint and the stamina of a monster. Ayane found herself smiling despite her defeat as she headed for the doorway.

_Just you wait. All I have to do is ask tomorrow. And the day after that. And day after day until you say yes._

Despite the crowd forming in the hallway, Ayane planted her feet, facing the direction she could still see the headmaster's daughter retreating down.

"This isn't over Faust-san! I'm just going to stick around you every day until you agree to introduce me to your uncle! You can count on it! I promise you I'm absolutely serious!"

Her intentions shouted to the school, Ayane turned on her heel and grinned all the way back to the classroom.

* * *

Aaand the first chapter of this mess, _start_.

I kind of feel bad because I'm sure anyone that wanted more _AoEx_ fanfiction from me wanted an expansion of _Karma_, but that's still in the planning stages. I guess if anything I should have posted _Ordinary Life_ first, but _Tilling Soil_ came out first, so...here it is.

In the middle of all the depressing things I was writing last winter, I decided I needed to write something more comedic, and this was the result. Looking at my plans for the plot now, I'm not sure if it will be funny all the way through, but I'll try my best!

Like with all my works, I enjoy constructive feedback on how to make my writing even better, from big things to little typos! Feel free to drop me a line!

I'm going to be prioritizing a few other projects for now, but the next chapter should probably be within a month. Please look forward to it!

* * *

**Preview:**

"Don't be too hard on her, though, Senpai. Whiskey's just tsundere, so I'm sure she wants to help but is being difficult."

"That just means she got Rin to cook for her today."

"And she just brushes it off like it's not a serious request at all!"

"Practice's over, so go and put all that energy into something else."

"Huh. I thought you guys were all went to some cram school or something, so I expected you all to be top-notch students."

"And I don't see what my Comiket attendance has to do with anything."

"Agh, this sucks!"

"Hell no!"

[POST] 022614


	2. Chapter Two

**Tilling Soil**

By: Aviantei

Chapter Two

* * *

Ayane had to admit, Margeret sure had astounding endurance for a first-year. Even Ayane's group of friends had a hard time of fending her off, and they knew what to expect. Margeret didn't, and she had lasted through three days' worth of following, lunchtime questions, and after school visits in the classroom. Each time she pulled off a perfect smile and denial, the result of what Ayane had to guess was years of manners' training.

That politeness had a downfall that Margeret didn't even seem to realize. Not outright telling Ayane to back off was the biggest mistake that could possibly be made in this situation. It gave her plenty of reason to just stick around, to keep making her requests, and no one else would see it as suspicious. Ayane smiled at the thought, keeping her progress in check while grabbing her bento and heading to Margeret and Ryouichi's classroom.

Sooner or later, Margeret would give in, at least for the sake of returning to whatever status quo the first-year girl had beforehand.

"Hey there, Faust-san," Ayane called, catching up to Margeret, Mocha and Ruma trailing behind their friend. "Haruhana-san, Izona-san. So how about it, Faust-san, are you going to help me out today, or not?" Ayane smiled, the expression unnecessary as Margeret never looked back to the request. Ruma rolled her eyes and Mocha giggled.

"Ah, that's no fair, Fukui-senpai," Mocha lamented. "You and Whiskey get to have your secrets, and she just leaves us in the dark all the time." Margeret made a disgruntled noise, and Mocha laughed again. "Don't be too hard on her, though, Senpai. Whiskey's just tsundere, so I'm sure she wants to help but is being difficult."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Mocha-chan," Margeret interrupted. Mocha pouted but didn't argue. "When it comes down to it, I would rather not be involved with what Fukui-senpai is trying to accomplish. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

_At least look people in the eye when you reject them,_ Ayane thought. She managed to avoid pursing her lips, smiling instead. That was probably that rudest that Margeret ever got when turning her down. Hopefully that meant that she would break soon enough, but Ayane wasn't so sure. "I'm sure you'll come around, if you reconsider things, Faust-san," she said.

"Not to be rude, but how long do you intend to hang around us like this?" Ruma asked. Ayane observed the redhead that was now glaring at her, but didn't respond. "I know you have your own friends, so why can't they help you out with whatever your problem is? Just hanging around us all the time is creepy."

_I asked my friends what to do and they sent me here._ Ayane laughed instead, making sure to smile. Sure enough, Ruma's eyes narrowed at her, but Ayane didn't back down. "I would do that, except that my problem requires Faust-san's expertise." Ruma didn't seem to want to pursue the question any further, so she only scoffed and looked away.

"I for one am perfectly fine with you hanging around us, Senpai!" Mocha interjected, beaming. The girl looked terribly close to latching onto Ayane's arm, but was holding back quite nicely. At the very least someone out there seemed to understand how personal space worked. "Hey, Whiskey's probably gonna take a while to agree to help you out, you know. In that case, we should try and be friends while you're here. You can call me 'Mocha-chan' if you wanna, Senpai!"

"Um, thanks…" Ayane didn't like the idea of this taking too long, but if even one of Margeret's friends thought she would be prone to giving in sooner or later, she would take it. Mocha was staring at Ayane intensely, an unnerving expression for the cute demeanor the girl usually exhibited. It took a moment to realize what she was aiming for, and even then Ayane waited to say the words. "Thanks, Mocha-chan."

Mocha smiled at the words, giggling to herself and resuming walking normally. They were almost to the area outdoors where the freshmen girls usually ate lunch, Ayane sitting down on the opposite end of the arc made by her new lunch mates. Ryouichi was probably terribly jealous of Ayane for being able to eat lunch around Margeret. Served him right for keeping his crush a secret.

At least she could somewhat understand his interest though. Not that Ayane was thought like that, but Margeret was definitely someone different to be around than most girls. Even though the first-year was trying her hardest to be as standoffish as possible to Ayane without being rude, it was obvious she was normally (or at least could be) gentle. Margeret would always smile when talking to her friends, and occasionally hugged her bento to her chest like she was worried something would cause the food to fall and be wasted.

"Hehe, Whiskey's got that dreamy look at her lunch again," Mocha said. Margeret immediately bristled at the words, her face starting to tint the slightest shades of pink. Admittedly, she held onto her dignity quite well, although her composure was a different story.

"I-I do not!" Margeret snapped. Ayane wondered if the blue-haired girl was guarding her lunch on purpose or it was just a subconscious reaction.

"That just means she got Rin to cook for her today," Ruma offhandedly commented, taking a bite out of her own lunch. Whiskey's face darkened another shade of pink, bringing it ever closer to red. Ruma didn't pursue the point any further, focusing on opening her soda can.

Mocha pouted a little. "No fair! Okumura-kun's cooking is super good!" she protested. The smaller girl launched herself towards Margeret, who immediately pulled her bento out of the way. Mocha ended up taking the bento's place on Margeret's lap. "I wanna try some of his food, too, come on!"

"Absolutely not!" Margeret responded, keeping the bento well out of her friend's reach. "You're just as much as friends with him as I am! Just ask him to and I'm sure he'll cook for you, too! Or better yet, just go and share lunch with Yukio, why don't you?!"

_Okumura Rin, huh?_ Ayane thought, bringing her chopsticks to her mouth. While it was a setback to be completely ignored like this, the act of being such an enduring presence would have to do when it came down to it. Besides, completely invading in every part of Margeret's life was going a bit far, for Ayane's tastes.

_I guess that's the guy that Faust-san likes, given by how much of a big deal she's making of it. Maybe I should ask Ryou about him. Maybe they'll be in the same class or something… Sorry, Ryou, but this is probably the best way this will work out, so I'm gonna have to put your feelings aside for a tiny little bit._

Even if sticking her nose into all of Margeret's business was a bit too much, sticking it in where things were necessary was a completely different ballgame altogether.

* * *

By the time day five rolled around, Ayane was visibly frustrated. Ryou was still in his information gathering phase—getting him to do the work under the guise of Okumura Rin potentially having connections to the headmaster was enough of an excuse—which felt like it was taking too damn long for Ayane's tastes. She settled into her drills at tennis practice, staying afterwards to vent off her spare energy.

Just how much freakin' patience did Margeret possess anyway?! Ayane's constant presence hadn't been enough to sway the headmaster's daughter, and the tennis star was on the verge of finally snapping. She had only been able to contain herself on the reminder that this had suddenly turned into a battle of determination, and Ayane wasn't about to lose at something like that.

One of the new freshmen recruits had been assigned as Ayane's practice partner for the day, and she had gone easy through that time, but now all bets were off. The girl on the other end of the court looked about ready to collapse, and Ayane was almost out of breath, but her muscles still itched to keep moving.

"And she just brushes it off like it's not a serious request at all!" Ayane concluded, finishing up an rant that had been ongoing since the last serve. She hit the ball to the other end of the court, the freshman missing the opportunity for a return. "You get where I'm coming from, right, Yori-chan?"

Sitting on the sidelines Yori nodded, a laptop poised on her lap. Ayane knew her friend had no interest in the sport whatsoever, and only came to practice so she wouldn't have to walk back to the dorms on her own. Even now, Yori was muttering to herself, focusing on whatever she was writing. Ayane appreciated the gesture.

"Senpai, can I stop now?" the freshman asked, clearly out of breath. Ayane realized that she had been going all-out in a practice match, and stopped herself from serving the ball again.

"Yeah, give the rookie a break," said Abe Youdai, coming out of the changing rooms. Ayane stuck her tongue out at the team captain, her role in last year's national victory allowing her to get away with it. "Come on, Fukui, there's no need to scare off any new teammates." He smiled at the freshman. "You can head home now."

Ayane pouted slightly as she watched the first year rush off. As far as she was concerned, if the girl still had energy to run like that, then she couldn't have been that worn out and could keep playing. "I was just about to say that, Abe," Ayane retorted instead. "I get that you want to be loved, Cap, but there's no need to make me look bad to accomplish it."

Abe chuckled. "I wasn't trying to make you look bad, Fukui. With all that energy you've been exerting lately, you're being a model team member for the rest of the underclassmen, and some of the upperclassmen, too." One of the current third year members behind Abe winced at the words. Ayane allowed herself a triumphant grin. "However, if you insist on exhausting their energy so quickly, then they'll never have the motivation to give practice their all again."

"Yeah, yeah." Ayane rolled her eyes. It wasn't a philosophy she used for her own training, but she understood very well how it would apply to others. "I guess I already had the enthusiasm part for the sport nailed down. I didn't need to be guided into it like others, so I really don't know what it's like."

"I'll agree to that fact," Abe said. The team captain stepped forward, easily plucking the racket out of Ayane's hands. The girl wanted to protest, but knew there was no point. No matter how well she and Abe got along, there was still no swaying him from his convictions. "However, if you overwork yourself, enthusiasm won't be able to make you get up in the morning. Practice's over, go and put all that energy into something else."

Ayane scowled, snatching her racket back. As much as she wanted to keep playing, orders were orders. She walked over to her bag on the side of the court, slinging it over her shoulder. "By the way, where did all that energy come from, Fukui? Did something happen?"

Ayane froze for a moment, then took a deep breath to regain her composure. Her fingers tightened around the racket's handle. It would only have to be for a moment, and as long as her back was turned, Abe would never be able to see the expression on her face. "It's none of your business," she managed to snap, even if she said the words too quickly for her liking. "Come on, Yori-chan, let's go!"

"Eh?" the other girl asked, breaking her silence. "Um, can we wait just a bit longer? I'm in the middle of an important scene and—ah! My battery's dying! F-Fukui-san, wait for me!" Yori stood up, racing after her friend into the girls' locker rooms.

* * *

Ayane stood outside the door to Margeret's classroom after school, a week having passed since she had made her initial request. They hadn't seen each other over the weekend, which would have given Margeret time to build up her defenses again. At least it also provided Ayane a chance to recover from her own frustrations, making her tactics sharper.

Ryouichi hadn't been able to pull much up on the Okumura kid that would have been useful in the long run—he was a special enrollment case, he did terribly in most of his classes, a general slacker. In fact, Ayane was stuck wondering just what Margeret saw in a guy like that when she appeared to be a top student. However, Ryouichi _did_ know a lot about Margeret, and proceeded to talk Ayane's ear off with pointless information on the younger girl.

Or it had appeared to be useless. Somewhere in the babbling, Ayane had learned that Margeret was apparently a die-hard otaku—not that you would be able to notice at a glance. That had been how she and Ryouichi had started talking, and even more so how he had formed a crush on her. Ayane hadn't given it much thought at first, but at some point, two of Ryouichi's ramblings had connected.

_So if she's such a big otaku, it's safe to assume that she and Ryouichi hold a lot of common interests and habits. Hell, I bet they both go out of their way to blow all their money on magazines and tankobon the day they go on sale! If I'm right, this should definitely work._

For whatever reason, Margeret was the only one to exit the classroom today, causing Ayane to peek inside the room. The other two girls that were normally at Margeret's side were apparently being lectured by the teacher for some reason or other. Considering it an advantage that there would be two less ways for Margeret to ignore her, Ayane followed the other girl.

It took a bit to catch up as Margeret paid no heed to slow down, but Ayane wasn't an athlete for nothing. She was at the first-year's side in less than a minute. "Hey there, Faust-san," Ayane said, keeping a casual tone to her voice. "I noticed that the others were missing. Did something happen?" There was no need to rush things today. She would make her opponent comfortable, and then strike when they least expected it.

"It's not really my place to say anything, but I know that neither of them will care, so I might as well tell you," Margeret said. She never met Ayane's eyes once, but was able to manage it without seeming rude. "They both performed poorly on the last test we had and are probably being told to take remedial lessons as we speak."

"Huh. I thought you guys all went to some cram school or something, so I expected you all to be top-notch students." Ayane shrugged, switching the bag containing her lunch between hands. Margeret made no comment. "Oh, well, that's not the point, though. So, Faust-san, I heard you like anime and manga and stuff."

For a second, Margeret's expression softened, until she contorted her face into a full-blown glare towards Ayane. "I am. And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to it in such a dismissing manner as _stuff_."

That was the kind of reaction that came from having to be defensive about something you truly cared about. Even though it hadn't been over the same topic, Ayane had been there and she could understand. It also meant that her assumption had been right and winning over Margeret would be as easy as she had predicted.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to offend or anything. I was just curious is all," Ayane said, hoping to run damage control. "My best friend's an otaku, so I really don't see anything wrong with it." She bit her lip, hoping the use of the term wouldn't offend Margeret farther. Ryouichi didn't think much of being referred to as an otaku, but Ayane knew some people did. Fortunately, Margeret seemed satisfied enough by the words. "It must take some dedication to keep up with such an expensive hobby."

Margeret turned out to the courtyard, settling down into a patch of grass without paying her companion any notice. Ayane sat down next to her, not bothering to adjust her skirt and letting her spats take the job of not showing anything off. She could definitely see why Margeret opted to wear the male's uniform but figured the request would be too much of a hassle. Besides, she had already worn the thing for over a year, might as well keep going with it.

"_Itadakimasu_," Margeret said before beginning to eat, and Ayane repeated the action. The second year wondered if today's lunch had been made by Okumura as well, but wasn't able to tell. A few bites in, Margeret finally decided to continue the conversation. "What's all this flattery for? If you're trying to casually segway into asking, just get it over with. In fact, Fukui-senpai, the answer is still no."

Ayane shook her head, clicking her chopsticks together. "Come on, at least hear me out." Margeret resumed eating her lunch, which wasn't technically a refusal. "Surely someone as dedicated to their hobby as you attends Comiket regularly, am I right?"

"It's not a hobby." Most people would have taken the words as a denial of interest, but Ayane knew better. Margeret's tone of voice gave away just how serious she was. In fact, the words _It's a way of life_ wouldn't have sounded out of place as the next sentence at all. "And I don't see what my Comiket attendance has to do with anything."

_Bingo._ The entire situation was in the metaphorical bag. "Well, from what I hear, it's a fun place to be. You get to go and pick up a bunch of one-of-a-kind merchandise, as long as you're lucky enough to make it to all the stalls you wanna go to on time. From what I hear, it's best to go in groups and split the work between everyone so that everything gets bought. Am I right?"

Whiskey rolled her eyes, not impressed by the strategy. "Yeah, so?" It wasn't all that impressive if it was a logical conclusion to come to. Fortunately, Ayane wasn't trying to come up with something novel in the slightest.

"In that case, I propose a deal, Faust-san," she said, smirking. The look on Margeret's face showed that she didn't like where this was going. Ayane sat up straight and looked the other girl in the eyes for effect. It was the same as psyching out your opponent in tennis before you even made the serve. "_You_ at least make an honest effort to introduce me to your uncle. It doesn't even have to go well, you just have to try. In return, _I'll_ personally accompany you to Comiket and help you buy whatever goods you've got your eyes on. How's that sound for a deal? I'd say it's more than fair for you."

Margeret frowned, trying to keep up her stoic act, but Ayane could tell she was cracking. Ryouichi wouldn't have been able to resist a deal like that, even if it meant doing the entire group's homework for _months_. For whatever reason, Margeret struck Ayane as an even more dedicated otaku than her friend, possibly due to the fact that she had the principal's income to back her up. It had been the perfect plan.

And sure enough, Margeret looked like she was having an internal argument with herself. Body language said that she wasn't going to break, but her eyes said otherwise. They were the same exact eyes that Ryouichi had when he got excited about a series, or found a good deal so he could buy more DVDs or books or whatever with the remains of his allowance. And no matter how much of a fight Ryouichi tried to put up against it, his conscience always lost.

As expected, Margeret released a huge sigh. "Fine," she said, almost spitting out the word. I'll see what I can do. But you better hold true to that promise of yours!"

Ayane nodded in agreement. It was really too easy.

* * *

"Agh, this sucks!" Whiskey Pheles—or, to the ordinary members of the students of True Cross Academy, Margeret Faust—complained, falling face first onto her bed, burying her mouth in pillows. Despite the muffling effect, her whines could still be heard in throughout the dorm room. Ruma was propped up on pillows of her top bunk, flipping through one of Whiskey's magazines. Mocha was looking over her notes, but they weren't for ordinary classes.

All three of the girls were students at the True Cross Academy Exorcist Cram School, and Mocha's notes reflected the fact. Throughout the room were various other items that completed the image: textbooks on fighting demons, cleaning supplies for weapons, and summoning circles scribbled across scraps of paper. At first glance, it would look like they all held an interest in the occult, but it was more than that.

Whiskey's tail reflected her agitation, swinging wildly behind her. The half-demon girl stood up, pacing across the room, picking up things as she went. "I mean, she falls for him just for how he looks, are you kidding me?" she ranted. "This is Uncle _Amaimon_ we're talking about. It's not like I can just go ahead and pull him out of wherever the fuck Vatti sent him over the summer. And how the hell is she so persistent about it?! It doesn't make _sense_!"

"Whiskey-chan, your coal tars are getting everywhere," Mocha commented, batting one of the small demons away from her face. Sure enough, the air was starting to cluster with them. Whiskey sighed, a soft purple light filling the room and dismissing the demons. "Besides, you know that love is blind, after all. Since she doesn't have a demon wound, it's extra blind in this case." The brunette giggled, and Ruma scoffed.

"Just tell your dad about it," the redhead offered. "I'm sure that he can just erase her memory or something." Whiskey hesitated a bit before organizing the books is Mocha's bag back onto their owner's desk. Ruma sat up, her magazine falling shut. "Don't tell me that that stupid Comiket deal _got_ to you! I don't care, I'll go shopping with you, just don't let that monster anywhere near her, you got me!"

Mocha's smile dropped, looking serious for the first time in a long time. Whiskey hated it when the brunette did that, especially at her, because she normally didn't like the words that followed. "You really should be careful about this, Whiskey-chan," Mocha said. "I know that Comiket help is important, but is it really worth the risk? Amaimon's one of the princes of Gehenna. Fukui-senpai could get really hurt if she isn't careful…"

"Come on, you guys, as if I'd actually let Uncle Amaimon anywhere near a non-exorcist—or even an exorcist for that matter!" Whiskey said. She picked up Ruma's uniform from the floor, searching for its hanger. "I know very well just how dangerous he is, which is why I've been trying to keep Fukui-senpai away from him. Sure, I made a silly choice, but I just agreed to _try_. If I say I did that should be enough."

"Whiskey-chan, lying doesn't suit you very well," Mocha commented. At least part of her smile was back, even if the rest of her expression was distant.

Ruma jumped off her bunk, landing hard but upright on the floor. "And what, she's actually supposed to go through with it?" she said. "Hell no! Whiskey, you even think about it, and I'll go and tell Fukui everything. I don't care if it'll get me in trouble with the cram school or whatever."

Whiskey hoisted herself up the ladder to Ruma's bed, tucking in the blankets. "Easy, easy," the blue-haired girl said. "No need to be so accusatory, Ruma. There's plenty of ways for this situation to pan out, and Uncle Amaimon doesn't even need to see the light of day."

"Oh? What'd you have in mind?" Ruma turned her gaze on Whiskey, and Mocha even peeked over her shoulder while waiting for a response.

"It's simple," Whiskey said. "I need to talk to Vatti."

* * *

And chapter two is here! Ayane has made her move, but what exactly does this mean for everyone?

Thanks to PhoenixBreaker90, Buzooka Zooka, and windwolf1988 for your respective reviews and follows. Your support is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to hearing from you again!

A quick German request: I do not know German. Is "Vatti" or "Vati" the correct spelling for the word?

My very busy week is over, so I've been relaxing a bit. I still have work to do, but not as much.

As the next chapters are still in production, chapter three does not have an estimated release date. I will, however, be prioritizing other products for the time being, so it may take a while. Keep an eye on my blog for possible hints of when the updates will be.

* * *

**Preview:**

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, _shit_ that _hurts_!"

"Besides, I think that completing acts like confessing means more if you find the right way to do it on your own, don't you?"

"Don't worry at all, darling. We'll all have your back."

"So no need to feel nervous. Tell Vatti what you need!"

"With tenacity like that, she might make a good exorcist."

"Wh-what are you saying?!"

"That's more like it, Whiskey-chan."

"Can I kill her?"

[POST] 032614

[EDIT] 040114


End file.
